I write this on Monday morning, September 18th, as Fr. Simon and I prepare to journey north to Flagstaff for the Priest Convocation. This is a special gathering of the priests of the Diocese of Phoenix with Bishop Dolan. It is a time of prayer, priestly fraternity and building stronger bonds in the common priesthood we share together.

Dear people of God,

As I returned from my time away on sabbatical and came here to be pastor of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, I was filled with great peace and a true sense of being home. There is much to share, but we have time in the future. What I am most enthused about is being in a community that is committed to living the Gospel as disciples of Christ. We do that together day by day and week by week, through the ups and downs, challenges and joys of life. Always with our eyes focused on Christ and the mission he gives us to spread his merciful love. I am grateful to God that the next step in my journey is with all of you!

What are you supposed to do about the bad behavior of the people around you? You know who I’m talking about. That family member, friend, coworker, or acquaintance who is quite immoral. On this front there are two lively options in our culture: bash the person to others (probably online) or pretend everything’s fine. The former damages the person. The latter ignores reality. What to do?

Isn’t it easy to relate to Peter? One moment Jesus announces Peter’s deep communion with God the Father. The very next, when he rejects the logic of Jesus’ suffering and death, Jesus calls Peter Satan. We Christians shouldn’t be too shocked when we experience both spiritual highs and lows, when we perceive breathtaking contradictions in our hearts.